Imago Mundi
by The X-Pig
Summary: a kiss and a CD changer. Postep for Millennium


Please note, this piece was originally part of a series that is to forever remain unfinished. So the end might  
not make as much sense, but I am unwilling to alter it. 

Author's Notes: Lyrics denoted by _italics_ . Rest of notes at the end

Dedication: To everyone who has helped me out on this  
series. You know who you are.

* * *

The halls of the hospital were crowded, so they remained silent until they were in the parking lot.  
Neither of them really knew what to say anyway. The trilling of a cell phone broke the unearthly silence. 

"That's mine. Scully."

"Scully, are you both alright?"

"Yes Sir, we are both fine. Mulder's a little banged up, but he'll live. Where are you Sir?"

Scully glanced over at her decidedly none the worse for wear partner and raised an eyebrow. Mulder  
looked down at her and chuckled.

"I'm on my way home and thought I'd better check up on you two, make sure you got home alright."

"We'll be fine Sir. I was just going to drive Mulder home. I'll have our report on your desk on Monday."

"Take your time Agent Scully, we wouldn't want to start the year off right, now would we."

"No Sir. Good night and Happy New Year Sir."

Scully hung up and looked up at Mulder. He was leaning against the side of the building, looking  
fairly doped up.

"Mulder, what did they give you?"

"I don't know. But here's the prescription for some more. Why? You want some?"

"No Mulder. Let get you home and into bed."

"Scully, all you had to do was ask. You didn't have to wait until I was incapacitated to get me into  
bed."

Scully stifled the urge to reach out and pull him to her. These feelings were new to her, she had fought  
so hard to maintain their friendship. That Mulder was still able to joke spoke volumes about how he was  
handling this unexpected wrinkle.

"Shut up. And get in the car."

"Yes Ma'am."

Once in the car Mulder slumped down in the seat and nodded off. Scully took a quick look around the  
inside of the car. He always got the better rental, she thought to herself. As she started the car, she  
noticed that the car had a CD changer. The radio came on and she heard the last song she needed to  
hear.

_We split their heads  
And eat their brains._

Scully hit the closest button to her, which started the CD changer. Mulder roused himself enough to  
complain.

"Come on, Scully, I like that song."

"Well, tough. I've had enough of people eating people to last a lifetime."

Scully listened to the CD changer for a second, making sure that the music coming from it was  
tolerable.

_He turned to me as if to say  
Hurry boy, it's waiting there for you.  
It's going to take a lot to take me away from you.  
There's nothing that a hundred men  
Or more could ever do.  
I'd best the rains down in Africa  
Going to take some time to do  
The things we never have before._

Scully glanced over at him before pulling out of the parking lot and saw that he was sound asleep. She  
marveled at his ability to fall asleep anywhere, at a moments notice. This caused her to also wonder about  
his inability to get more than 4 hours of sleep a night. She knew the nightmares had something to do  
with it, but not why he didn't have those nightmares while he was sleeping in the car.

"It's the little things-"

"What was that, Scully?"

"Sorry Mulder. I didn't mean to wake you."

"Why are we still in the parking lot?"

"Go back to sleep."

"But Scully, when I hear this song I think of you."

"I seek to cure what's deep inside  
Frightened of this thing that I've become."

She pulled out into the street and started towards home.

Mulder's choice in music was eclectic, to say the least. After the first song was over, Scully heard  
something come out of the stereo that she never would have expected.

_If he loved you, like I love you  
I would walk away in shame.  
I'd move town  
I'd change my name._

_When he watches you  
When he comes to buy your soul.  
On your hand his golden rings.  
Like he'd use a bird that sings._

_When we dance  
Angels will run  
And hide their wings._

Scully was a little shocked. She'd never picked Mulder to be the romantic, or to like Sting. It was  
too mellow for him, or so she thought.

_I will love you more then life,  
If you would only be my wife._

She'd never heard this song before, but she found that she liked it, immensely. She wanted to know what  
else was in the changer. She reached for the skip button and felt Mulder's hand on her wrist.

"Leave it."

She pulled her hand back and returned it to the steering wheel. In a few moments time the next song  
started. This was one she recognized.

_You ought to know by now  
That a man can't hold on forever.  
So why'd you keep me waiting here  
When you know it makes me want you more._

_You ought to know by now  
How it feels to be loved  
So why'd you keep me hanging here  
With this stone around my heart  
Dragging me down._

Scully knew there was meaning to these songs. And she knew what they were. She had to say something.

"Mulder, why didn't you just tell me?"

"How, Scully? How was I supposed to when everytime I try, you blow me off?"

_All I'm trying to do  
Is trying to get next to you.  
Let me in, let me in._

The tears started to well in Scully's eyes. The road became blurry. She knew she should pull over, she  
didn't want to kill them both on the first day of the year.

"Mulder, I need to stop."

"Ok, whatever."

She pulled the car onto the shoulder, allowing it to coast to a stop. She placed her head on the steering  
wheel and could control the tears no more.

"Mulder, this isn't the right time. For either of us."

"If not now, then when, Scully? When is the right time? When one of us is hospitalized? Or dead? Tell  
me when and I'll be there to tell you. But I'd rather say it now."

"_Someone told me yesterday  
That when you throw your love away  
You act as if you just don't care  
You look as if you're going somewhere._

_But I just can't convince myself  
I couldn't live with no one else  
And I can only play that part  
And sit and nurse my broken heart._

"Damnit Mulder, I almost lost you tonight, again. I don't think I can handle that on a daily basis."

"Scully, if you'd be with me, I'd quit right now. I'd drive a desk, shuffle papers, work from 9 to 5, if  
that's what it took."

"Never Mulder. You'd die in that kind of job. Mulder, it's too much, too soon. Can we just go home?"

_In this theatre  
That I call my soul,  
I always play the starring role._

_I feel so lonely, so lonely._

Scully stabbed out with her index finger and hit the skip button. The next song wasn't much better.

_Just as I thought  
It was going all right  
I found out I'm wrong  
When I thought I was right  
It's always the same  
It's just a shame  
That's all._

_I could say day  
And you'd say night.  
Tell me it's black  
When I know that it's white.  
Always the same  
It's just a shame  
That's all._

_I could leave  
But I won't go  
Though my heart  
Might tell me so.  
I can't feel a thing  
From my head down to my toes_.

"Damnit Mulder, what's with the British rock?"

"I did spent my college days at Oxford, ya know."

"OK, ok. Is all the music in here this depressing?"

_Truth is I love you  
More then I wanted too  
There's no point in  
Trying to pretend._

_There's been no one  
Who makes me feel  
Like you do.  
Say we'll be together  
Til the end._

"No, I don't suppose so. Skip two tracks. It's weird, but not depressing, I don't think."

Scully punished the skip button two more times then pulled back onto the road. She really wanted to get  
home, get Mulder to bed, and have some time to think.

_Home by the sea.  
Home by the sea.  
Home by the sea.  
Home by the sea._

_Creeping up the blind side  
Shimmy up the walk  
Stealing through the dark of night  
Climbing though a window  
Stepping to the floor  
Checking to the left and the right.  
Picking up the pieces, putting them away.  
Something doesn't feel quite right  
Help me someone  
Let me out of here._

_Then out of the darkness, suddenly heard  
Welcome to the  
Home by the sea._

"Ok Mulder, it's not depressing, but it's definitely weird."

"Told ya."

* * *

"No Mulder, You cannot borrow the car. You are in no position to drive. Not with your arm like that." 

"Does that mean you'll go for me, pretend to be me, and celebrate with the Gunmen?"

"Absolutely not. But I'm not comfortable with you driving either."

"Scully, I'll be ok. I'll take your car, It's an automatic, right?"

"Yes, it is. But be carefully."

"I will. And when I get back we'll talk, ok."

"Yes Mulder. I think that's a great idea. Now, have fun. And say hi to the Three Techno-Stooges for me."

"Will do. Bye. Oh, and Scully?"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

Before she could say another word he was out the door. She could hear him running down the stairs.  
God, I hope he doesn't fall. When she heard her car start she knew he had made it down the stairs in one  
piece.

Why was she so worried? It was just across town to the Gunmen's. How much trouble could he get into?  
Still, she wished him Godspeed and prayed for his safe return. She had a lot see wanted to talk to him  
about.

* * *

The End? 

Original publish date: 01/05/00

Author's notes:  
This was an answer to the Church of X Jan (2000). challenge #2:  
:In keeping with our traditional "holiday challenge", write a New Year's story picking up where "Millennium"  
left off. Yes, you can write a "Post-kiss Fic", but remember that extra credit is given for original ideas, not  
the usual stock "They head off to Scully's apartment and shag" stuff. Let us see what the moment meant to  
Mulder and/or Scully. Was it a friendly or romantic? Did they like it or hate it? Were they happy and  
content with it, or disappointed? Angst is always good. Let us see what happened afterward. Keep in mind  
that the kiss does not have to be the central subject. You might have Scully deal with the fact that she saw  
walking dead people. If you do wish to go with the "shagging in the apartment" route, find some way  
to make it different and original. You may begin the story before, during, or after the kiss, but be sure to  
pick it up as close to the end of "Millennium" as possible, not the next day or two weeks later.

The songs, in order, are:  
1.Peppermint Tribe by Saigon Kick from The Lizard  
2.Africa by Toto from The Best of  
3.When We Dance by Sting from Fields of Gold  
4.You Ought to Know by Phil Collins from Dance into  
the Light  
5.So Lonely by The Police from Outlandos d'Amour  
6.That's All by Genesis from Genesis  
7.Home by the Sea by Genesis from Genesis


End file.
